Combination signaling device



July 8, 1958 Hi SAMWALD COMBINATION SIGNALING DEVICE Filed April 30, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTGR [2 0 ns 9a m w 0 l1 R xx.

BY Z

H. SAMWALD COMBINATION SIGNALING DEVICE July 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR .Hlfl gum-we Z1 Filed April 50, 1956 ATTORNEY 2,842,090f j COMBINATION SIGNALING-DEVICE rraas samwaln -vromato, Ontario, Canada Applic'atiohApril-SO, 1956,.SerialNo, 581,766

' Z-Claimsr (erg-116 124 I This invention relates to-;a. signaling device adaptedfor use by persons in distress for'signaling their location tova searcherandmoreespecially foruse in signalingthev location of the distress party to the occupant or occupants v of asearchingaircraft.

distress.

Variousfotlier. objects and advantages. of the invention will herein after become more fully apparent from the following descriptionof the drawings; illustrating apresently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

;.Figure1 is an enlargedelevational view partly broken away, showin'gthe complete signaling unit;

FigureZ is an.elevationalvviewona smaller scale illustratinga preferred use of theunit; s 4 Figure 3 is an. enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectionalview of aportion of the unit; V Y I v.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sec:

tional view of another portion of the unit;

Figure is azfragmentary plan: view looking toward an inner end of the valvecasing as seen inFigure 4, and Figure 6 isa" fragmentary longitudinal sectional view onran enlarged scaleof a portion-of: thebobbin as seen i i ze a V. v i Referring more specifically to the drawings, the signaling'a-pparatus in its entirety and; comprising the inventiont is, designated generally; 8 andinclu'des agcombination bobbin and case, designated generally 9, a storage tank 10 for containing smoke, a gas supplying container 11 and an inflatable sack or balloon 12.

The combination bobbin and case 9 includes a bobbin base 13 having a stem. or spindle14 projecting perpendicularly from a central portion of an inner side thereof and having a conventional snap hook '15 anchored to and projecting from its outer side. A tethering line 16 is Wound on the bobbin spindle 14 and has one end t Parent line 16 extends outwardly from the combination bobbin and case 9.v A snap hook 24' is'attached to said last ice mentioned end of the line 16, externally of the case19.

The smoke storage tank 10 comprises an elongated preferably cylindrical tank which is adapted to contain smoke under pressure and which is provided with a bulged lower end wall 25, in the normal usableposition of the tank 10, as illustrated iii-Figure 2. 1 'A valve casing 26 is mounted in an externally flanged opening 27 of the end wall 25, as best-illustrated in :Figure 4,, so

that none of the compressed smoke from the tank 10- can escape through the'opening '27 around the valve casing 26 to the atmosphere. A valve spindle 28 extends longitudinally through the casing 26' and isrslidably disposed in the innerfand outerend walls 29 and 30, respec tively, of said casing 26. The walls 29 and'30; have aligned central openings 31 and 32, respectively, through which the stem 28-slidably extends; The stem 28 is guided in the opening 31 and extends loosely through,

the opening 32. A disk. type valve 33 is fixed to the stem 28 and is normally held against theinner side of the Wall .30 for closing the opening 32, by an expansion spring 34.; The spring 34-fits loosely around the 5 stem 28 and has one .end bearing against theimier wall 29 and the .other'end bearing against the Valve element 33. a A collar 35 is fixed to the stem 28, between the wall 29' and valve element 33 and moves intoengagement with the wall 29 to limit the extent of inward movement of the stem 28 toward an open position of A pair of spaced apertured ears 38 project outwardly,

from the central portion of the end wall 25' to loosely receive therebetween an intermediateportion of a lever 39 which is pivotally connected to the ears 38 by a pivot pin 40 which extends loosely through the intermediate the outervalve casing end 30: and has a socket 42" facing toward said valve casing and which engages'the outer end of the valvestern' 28, as seen inFigure 4; The Y I lever 39 has an eye 43 at its opposite end which is enthereof extending through a'bore 17 of the base 13 andv which is knotted on the outer side of said base, as seen at 18 in Figures 1 and 6, for anchoring said end of the line to the bobbin 9. The bobbin and case 9 includes an elongated tapered case 19 which fits over the line 'gaged by thesnap hook 24, by which said lever is connected to the line 16. A spring 44 is mounted against the outer side of thetank wall ZSbetWeen the cars .38 and has ends 45and. 46 which yieldably bear against the lever-39 on opposite sides of-the pivot 40 to resist rocking movement of the, lever 39 in. either direction from its position of Figures 1 and 4. An eye 47 is fixed to and extends from the other tank end 48 andhas a snap hook 49 connected thereto.

The gas supplying unit 11 comprises an elongated housing 50 containing a cartridge 51. The housing 50 has a restricted end forming a nipple 52. A bore 53 extends longitudinally through said nipple 52 and has its inner end opening into the chamber 54 of thehousingv 50 through an inwardly tapered piercing prong 55 of the nipple 52 which also extends into an end ofv the chamber 54. The other end of the bore 53 opens outwardly of the housing 50. The chamber 54 is sized to slidably receive the cartridge 51 which is provided with a restricted. frangible forward end 56 which extends into the forward end of said chamber 54 in which the piercing prong 55 is located. The housing 50 includes a cap 57 which is threadedly and detachably mounted at the opposite end of said housing and against a recessed in'ner side 58 of which the opposite end of the cartridge 51 seats. An

an) eye 59 is fixed to and extends outwardly from the cap 57 and is engaged by the snap hook 49 for attaching the housing 50 to the tank 10.

The inflatable sack or balloon 12 has a restricted filling neck 60 which is sized to engage over the nipple 52 and which is secured tlghtly'therearound by a clamp 61.

Assuming that the combination signaling device 8 is to be used by a pilot or occupant of an aircraft which is forced down at sea, the user would attach the snap fastening to one of the numerous eyelets 62 of the life jacket 63 and which is located near shoulder height. The snap fastening 49is attached to the eye 59 for connecting the smoke tank 10' to the gas supply unit 11, to which the deflated sack or balloon 12 is attached, and the snap fastening 24 is attached to the lever eye 43. The cap 57 is tightened to force the cartridge 51 toward the piercing point'55 so that said point will pierce the frangible end 56 of the cartridge. When this occurs, the interior of the balloon or sack 12 is connected by the bore 53 to the interior of the cartridge 51 so that the gas contained in the cartridge 51, preferably helium gas, will fill and inflate the balloon 12. The balloon is then allowed to rise to the limit provided by the cord 16, preferably to an elevation between four and six hundred feet. The balloon 12 is of sufficient size to support the weight of the units 10 and 11 and to additionally exert a sufficient lifting force on the life jacket 63 so that in the event that the life jacket is defective, the wearer thereof will still be held with his or her head above the Water. The spring 34 and the spring end 45 are of sufiicient strength so that the valve element 33 will'be retained in its closed position while the elevated balloon 12 is held tethered by the line 16.

The balloon 12 may be made of any desired color which will enable it to be most easily seen. The user at intervals by exerting a jerking pull on the line 16 can rock the lever 39 clockwise about its pivot 40 as seen in Figure 4 to displace the Valve stem 28 inwardly to thus move the valve element 33 to an open position relative to the opening 32, so that a puff of smoke 64 will escape to the atmosphere through said opening 32. The smoke 64 may also be of any desired color most likely to be seen and to attract attention. The smoke pufls 64 will be in the form of long strips which will be carried by the wind. Thus, a smoke strip may be seen by a searching aircraft at a considerable distance from the balloon 12 and the direction of its longitudinal axis and the direction in which the wind is blowing will indicate to the occupants of the aircraft the direction of the person in distress from the aircraft, to thus greatly simplify locating a person in distress.

The'smoke puffs or strips 64 can be released periodically and intermittently, and the tank 10 can be of sufficient capacity so that it maybe used in the aforedescribed manner for a considerable period of time. The user may also carry extra smoke tanks 10 in waterproof containers of the life jacket 63 to replace an exhausted tank.

It will be readily apparent that the signaling device 8 may be similarly used by persons adrift in a lifeboat, by a disabled small craft seeking assistance, or on land by persons who are lost or disabled.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combination signaling device comprising an inflatable sack, means containing an inflating medium under pressure which is lighter than air connected to said sack and communicating with the interior thereof and manually operable for discharging the compressed medium therefrom into the sack for inflating the sack, a tank containing compressed smoke attached to and depending from said means, a tethering line, means forming a connection between the, tank and an end of thetethering line operable in response ot a jerking pull one the tethering line in a direction away from the tank for releasing the compressed smoke in puffs from the tank, an outlet formed in said tank, said last mentioned means comprsing a valve closing said outlet, a lever pivotally supported by said tank intermediate of the ends of the lever having one end engaging said valve and an opposite end connected to the tethering line, a valve spring associated with the valve and urging the valve to a closed position and of sufficient strength to withstand the normal pull of the balloon to maintain the valve closed, whereby a jerk on the tethering line will rock the lever to cause the first mentioned end thereof to momentarily displace the valve to an open position against the pressure of the valve spring.

2. In combination with a captive signaling balloon comprising a sack inflated with a gas lighter than air and a tethering line, a tank containing compressed smoke suspended from said balloon, said tank having an outlet, a valve for closing said outlet, a valve spring normally maintaining said valve in a closed position, means supported by said tank engaging a part of said valve and to which the tethering line is attached, said means being operated by a. jerking pull on the tethering line for momentarily opening the valve to release a puff of smoke from the tank, and spring means associated with and acting against said aforementioned means in combination with said valve spring to resist movement of said aforementioned means in a direction for opening the valve and for counteracting the pull on the tethering line exerted by the balloon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 827,350 Crofiord July 31, 1906 1,426,338 Sperry Aug. 15, 1922 1,735,373 Bonniksen Nov. 12, 1929 2,156,010 Connor Apr. 25, 1939 2,646,019 Chetlan July 21, 1953 

